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“It’s a really difficult time, especially to analyse this match. Some players who made a mistake (against Derby), all five matches they have looked very good and very solid.

“That’s football. Sometimes everything is possible. My target is to change this situation.”

Slutsky is facing an early test of his motivational powers after City fell to their heaviest league defeat outside of the top flight since 1996. Despite having more attempts on goal and enjoying the greater share of possession, a defensive horror show was emphatically punished by Derby.

Hull City manager Leonid Slutsky Manager during the Championship match at the iPro Stadium, Derby

The setback suffered at Pride Park had Slutsky immediately apologising to City supporters, with the Russian taking on full responsibility for his side’s failings.

Wednesday’s trip to Fulham will demand improvements against one of the favourites for promotion, before City then host Sunderland this weekend and travel to Reading seven days later.

Fraizer Campbell, Evandro and Ondrej Mazuch should all be back in contention to strengthen and Slutsky is adamant that his faith in a new-look squad is undimmed.

“It’s my fault,” he added. “I am the head coach and I know about our problems. If I am working here, I must decide on each problem. I am not speaking about how many problems we have. We have a team and we have 11 players.

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“We had a more difficult situation in the match against QPR. We looked better (than against Derby).

“We lost the game but we had serious chances. We’ll see if we have other players (against Fulham) and we will look stronger but each player that has played is my player. I made the offer for each player in this team and I agreed each transfer. I believe in my team.

“Everyone is very disappointed but I told the team to keep their chin up. We have to think about the future. We can’t play the Derby match again, we cannot change the result.”

Hull City’s under-23s are back in action this evening as they travel to Cardiff (7pm) searching for their first win of the season.